Measure Words and 个 (ge)

Level: beginner (HSK 1). A measure word (量词, liàngcí), also called a classifier, is a small word you put between a number and a noun. English does this only sometimes (“two slices of bread”); Chinese does it every time you count. Learn the pattern, then the general classifier 个 (gè / ge), and you can count almost anything.

The rule

Number + measure word + noun.

• 三个人 (sān ge rén) — three people
• 两本书 (liǎng běn shū) — two books

A measure word is the counting word that sits between the number and the thing. You cannot leave it out: you say 三个人 (sān ge rén), never 三人 (sān rén). Different nouns take different measure words, in the way English picks “a sheet of paper” but “a loaf of bread”.

个 (gè / ge) is the default classifier. It covers people and a great many everyday objects, and it is the one to use when you are unsure. In speech it is almost always said in the neutral tone — light and short, ge — even though its dictionary tone is the 4th tone gè.

Demonstratives and question words follow the same pattern. 这 (zhè, this), 那 (nà, that) and 几 (jǐ, how many) also take a measure word before the noun: 这个人 (zhè ge rén, this person), 几个人 (jǐ ge rén, how many people).

Common measure words

Example sentences

Common mistakes

• ❌ 三人 (sān rén) → ✅ 三个人 (sān ge rén). You cannot put a number straight before a noun; a measure word is required.
• ❌ 二个人 (èr ge rén) → ✅ 两个人 (liǎng ge rén). Before a measure word, “two” is 两 (liǎng), not 二 (èr).
• ❌ 一个书 (yí ge shū) → ✅ 一本书 (yì běn shū). Books take their own classifier 本 (běn); 个 (ge) is only the fallback.
• ❌ 这人 (zhè rén) → ✅ 这个人 (zhè ge rén). 这 (zhè) and 那 (nà) still need a measure word before the noun.
• ❌ 几人 (jǐ rén) → ✅ 几个人 (jǐ ge rén). 几 (jǐ, how many) also takes a measure word.

A short conversation

A: 你家有几个人？ (Nǐ jiā yǒu jǐ ge rén?) — How many people are in your family? B: 四个人。我还有两只猫。 (Sì ge rén. Wǒ hái yǒu liǎng zhī māo.) — Four people. I also have two cats. A: 我想买这本书。多少钱？ (Wǒ xiǎng mǎi zhè běn shū, duōshao qián?) — I’d like to buy this book, how much is it?

Usage notes

• The noun can be dropped when it is clear. If you both know what is meant, you keep the measure word but drop the noun: 我要三个 (wǒ yào sān ge, “I want three [of them]”).
• 一 (yī) changes tone before a measure word. On its own 一 (yī) is 1st tone, but before a 4th-tone measure word such as 个 (gè) it becomes yí: 一个 (yí ge) is said yí ge. Before most other measure words it is yì (a falling tone), e.g. 一张 (yì zhāng).
• 位 (wèi) is the polite classifier for people. Use 位 (wèi) for teachers, guests and customers; 个 (ge) is neutral and fine for everyday reference.
• Measure words also mark “each/every”. Doubling gives “every”: 个个 (gè gè, “every one”), but at HSK 1 you mainly need the counting pattern above.

Compared with…

• 个 (ge) vs specific classifiers. 个 (ge) is the general one, but many common nouns have their own: 本 (běn) for books, 张 (zhāng) for flat things like paper and tickets, 条 (tiáo) for long thin things like fish and roads. Say 一本书 (yì běn shū), 一张票 (yì zhāng piào), 一条鱼 (yì tiáo yú) — using 个 (ge) here is understood but sounds non-standard.
• 两 (liǎng) vs 二 (èr). Both mean “two”: 二 (èr) is the counting number (and in 二十, èrshí, twenty), while 两 (liǎng) is the form used directly before a measure word. More number patterns live in the Chinese grammar section.

Quick recap before you practise.

Practice

Quiz

Recap cheat-sheet

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